Method of and mechanism for automatically opening closed book signatures and the like



Sept. 11, R MM ET AL 1,973,632

METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING CLOSED BOOK SIGNATURES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 8, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet l .ZQn/ewfar: 78461 IVZomW awe? (Ana/ er Ge 1:55.287

Sept. 11, 1934. R. KLEMM ET AL 1,973,632 METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING CLOSED BOOK SIGNATURES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb; 8, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 odzhr y Sept. 11, 1934- R. KLEMM ET AL 1,973,632

METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENING CLOSED BOOK SIGNATURES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 8, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 24 0. 0% We? W v d! Wafzer 6e 11s 5221- Sept. 11, 1934- R. KLEMM ET AL METHOD. OF AND MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICALLY OPENIN ATURES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 CLOSED BOOK 5 IGN Filed Feb. 8, 1935 A l/tn for]:

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Sept 11, 1934. METHOD OF AND MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATICA CLOSED BOOK SIGNATURES AND THE Filed Feb.

Patented Sept. 11, 1934 UNITED STATES METHOD or AND MECHANISM FOR AUTO- MATICALLY OPENING c L o s E 1) BOOK SIGNATURES AND THE LIKE Rudolf Klemm and Walter Geissler, Leipzig- Plagwitz, Germany, assignors to Gebruder Brehmer, Leipzig-Plagwitz, Germany, a firm of Germany Application February 8, 1933, Serial No. 655,846 In Germany February 11, 1932 19 Claims.

The present invention relates to the automatic opening of closed book signatures, folded sheets and the like for the purpose of transferring the signatures or sheets in opened condition to any desired machine or work table for subsequent handling.

Such subsequent sheet handling may be performed by collating machines, wire or thread stitching machines, insetting machines andthe' like which are usually adapted to handle signatures built up of individual sheets or produced by parallel folding of the combined parallel and cross folding of one or more sheets.

Sheet opening arrangements are already known in which the closed signatures or sheets are passed between inversely rotating suction members by means of which the outer sheet and thus the whole signature is seized and opened outwardly from the centre fold line but these arrangements can only be utilized in opening signatures having a closed head, i. e., signatures formed by the combined parallel folding and cross folding of a sheet or' sheets. In all other forms of book signatures or folded sheets particularly for instance when signatures for ac count books'and similar books are made by inserting single folded sheets one within the other or merely by the parallel folding of such sheets the above described sheet opening means cannot be used although means have been described in the copending application of Oscar Kleinschmit dated 13th October, 1930, and the serial number of which is 488,460, for mechanically opening folded signatures provided with attached outer sheets or fiyleaves.

The object of the present invention is to provide a method of and mechanism for opening signatures in which the action of lifting the outer sheet does not in itself eifect the complete opening of the signature outwards from its centre line.

According to the method of this invention the leaves of the signature are successively engaged and bent outward by a series of sheet-engaging devices in such manner that the leaves thereof to one or both sides of its fold are parted individually and progressively from the outer leaf inwards.

In one manner in which the invention may be carried into effect the signature to be opened is progressed past a series of suction devices disposed side by side or one behind the other the first of which engages the outer leaf of the signature or folded sheet and bends the leaf to such an extent that it passes over and/or to the rear of the next suction device of the series. In this manner the nozzle of the next suction device is in a position to seize the second and now outer leaf of the signature and so to'bend it that it passes over and/or to the rear of the third suction device; the nozzle of the third suction de- I vice can then engage the third and now outer leaf of the signature and so on until the inner leaf of the signature is reached and bent outwards. One entire side of the signature is thus opened step by'ste'p and the opened signature is then deposited upon a saddle or similar conveyor and conveyed to the next working position.

One practical form of mechanism which may be utilized to carry into efiect the method of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figs. 1 and 1a show in conjunction a sideelevational view of the sheet opening and feeding apparatus and associated book stitching machine.

' Fig. 2 is an endelevational view looking in the direction of the arrow a (Fig. 1).

- Fig. 3 shows in plan view the main operative 30 members of the sheet opening arrangement with the work conveyor members removed to clarify the view;

Fig.- 4 is a plan view of the work conveying arrangementv proper;

Figs. 5 to 8 are diagrammatic elevational views showing successive stages in the operation of opening a selected signature, and

Fig. 9 is-a sectional view of a suction control device which is adapted to control the operation of said sheet opening members.

In the arrangement shown in the drawings, the signatures, book sections or folded sheets to be handled are stacked at A (Fig. 1) in erect position and with the open edges opposite the 9 back folds thereof lowermost. In this position the signatures are engaged by the sheet opening and conveying means B and thus advanced to the left (as viewed in Fig. 1) towards further sheet handling means C which are positioned to receive the signatures when the latter are opened. Such further sheet handling means may comprise as shown the pivotal stitcl'liiig saddle of a book stitching machine or the conveyor belt of a collating machine or the like, or alternatively the arrangement which is indicated at C could comprise a stationary or movable work carrier set intermediate the sheet opening and conveying means B and further sheet handling means as above mentioned.

Referring to the drawings the erect stack of signatures, book sections or folded sheets S are supported by a substantially horizontal work table 41 which is carried by a vertical column 51 mounted in a bracket 52, the latter being secured to an arm extending rigidly from the main frame 53 of the device. The table 41 may be adjusted more particularly in the vertical direction by known means (not shown) and in accordance to the size. of the work to be handled.

The sheet conveying means comprise a pair of substantially horizontal endless conveyor belts 2 and 3 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) having juxtaposed inner stretches 2a and 3a and adapted to run upon rollers or runners 1 which are mounted upon vertical stub shafts 1a and 1b journalled in the upper extremities of the main frame uprights 53a. The juxtaposed stretches 2a, 3a of the conveyor belts 2 and 3 are arranged to grip therebetween the signatures S fed by hand or mechanically from the stack table 41, the level of the latter being adjusted so that the conveyor bands grip the signatures immediately below the back, upper folds thereof as shown. When held by the belts in this manner the lower portions of the leaves of each signature are freely suspended so as readily to move laterally when influenced to do so. The belts 2 and 3 are driven through intermeshing gears 10 carried by the stub shafts 1a, 1b, the shaft 1b of this pair being linked by a universal joint to a vertical drive shaft 1d which carries at its lower extremity a bevel gear 50. The bevel gear 50 meshes with a corresponding gear forming part of 'a gear train 55 which latter incorporates a spur gear 311; keyed to a drive shaft 31. The drive shaft 31 is incorporated in the adjacent book-stitching machine above referred to generically by the reference letter C.

As shown more clearly in Fig. 3, two series of buttresses or work-locating members 10 and 11 are positioned at spaced intervals longitudinally of the conveyor belts 2, 3 below the latter and to either side of the path of travel of the vertical suspended book sections or the like as the latter are conveyed by the conveyor belts 2 and 3. Each sheet locating member comprises a strip, curved at its inner or work engaging extremity, and supported by a suitable upright, the uprights of each series of such members being located on a horizontal platform 42 which is positioned beneath the conveyor belts 2 and 3 and supported between frame members'53 by adjustable pillars or columns 9. When so positioned the buttresses or work locating members 10 and 11 serve to hold in control the loosely suspended leaves of the book-section passing therebetween and also serve another purpose as hereinafter described. The height of the platform 42 may be adjusted by reason of the sliding engagement of the pillars 9 in the brackets 9a (Fig. 1) and in accordance to the setting of the stack table 41.

The sheet opening means proper comprise a series of suction nozzles which, in the present embodiment, are grouped in four units 4, 5, 6 and7 (Figs. 1 and 3), the units each being associated with a work locating member 10. Each suction unit comprises a length of pipe or tube which is bent at a right angle and then offset at a further right angle perpendicular to the plane of the first bend. Thus each pipe length extends transversely of the platform 42 and then extends upwards and longitudinally'of the conveyor belts; the longitudinally extending portions of the bent suction pipes are arranged preferably horizontally, and at a slight angle to the longitudinal plane of the conveyor belts (as best seen in Fig. 3) the pipes being set at a common level below that of the members 10. Each of the pipe lengths 4, 5, 6 and 7 is provided with a series of suction orifices or nozzles 4b, 5b, 6b or 7b which as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 face inwards towards the path of the signature and, when arranged as above described, the leading nozzle of each unit, i. e., the nozzle nearest the stack table 41, is approximately flush with the faces of the buttresses 10 while the rearmost nozzles of each unit or series lie behind the face of its corresponding member 10; the suction pipes 4, 5, 6 and '7 thus contact and engage the outer leaves of the book sections 5 at a point nearer the lowermost edge of the latter as they are progressed from the feed section A to the further sheet handling means C.

The bent portions of the suction pipes which extend across the platform 42 rest upon the latter and are secured thereto by suitable brackets or clamps 8. The free extremities of the pipes 4, 5, 6 and 'I are adapted to engage conduits 4a. 5a, 6a and 7a, respectively, the conduits being 1 preferably flexible and connected at their further extremities to control cocks 26 carried by a common suction main 24 (Figs. 1 and 9). The control cocks 26 are manually operable and timed.

automatic controlling means may be associated the suction main 24 and may if desired rotate to some extent relatively to .the latter. Normally however the sleeves 27 are keyed upon the main 1 24 so that the orifices 29 in the main 24 register with the bore 28 of the corresponding cook 26. The suction main 24 is supported in substantially horizontal position by brackets depending, from a member of the main frame and is connected to 1 a suitable source of suction such as an air suction pump 25 as shown in Fig. 1. By means of the air pump 25, moderate suction is applied to the suction main 24 and thus to the nozzles of the suction units 4, 5, 6 and 7.

.As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the deflecting. plate 12 extends from a point adjacent the rearmost extremity of the suction unit 4 and passes behind .25

the leading extremity of the following suction unit 5. Similarly the deflecting plates 14 and 18 extend from points adjacent the rearmost extremities of suction units 5 and 6 respectively and terminate behind the suction sections 6 and 7 respectively. As shown more clearly in Figs. 5 to 8, the deflecting plates 12, 14 and 18 are each supported by angle brackets which are secured to the platform 42 and are set at a height approximately the same as that of the suction 1 units.

The left hand extremity of the platform 42 is recessed intermediate its width to receive the lowermost tapered extremity of a pent-shaped work guiding member 16 which extends upwards imaess carrier arms 20a is provided with an adjustable sheet stop 23 and is suitably slotted to permit engagement of idler rollers 22 carried thereby with the underside of the signature or book section placed upon the saddle.

As shown more particularly in Figs. 1 and 4, a' bracket 13 secured to the left hand extremity of the main frame 53 extends outwards longitudinally of the machine to support a bearing plate 17. The latter is adapted to receive a gear train 19 which is driven by intermediate gears from the conveyor belt driving gears, andthus serves to rotate friction rollers 21 which register with the idler rollers 22 and lightly contact therewith when the carrier 20 is in the sheet receiving position. Thus, when a signature or sheet is introduced between the idle rollers 22 and driven rollers 21 the signature is gripped and moved laterally along the saddle 20 to abut the stop 23.

The operation of the above described sheet opening and feeding device is as follows: It is assumed that the signatures S are 16 page signatures, l. e., comprising 8 leaves, four of which lie to each side of the back fold. To deal with signatures of this capacity the four suction units of the device are rendered operative. When a signature S is fed, for example, by hand. to the right hand extremity of the conveyor belts 2, 3 (as viewed in Fig. 1) the signature is seized immediately below its back fold between the juxtaposed inner stretches of the continuously moving conveyor belts and thus moved away from the stack table 41 in the direction of the further sheet handling means C.

As shown in Figs. 5 to 8 the lowermost portion of the moving signature thus held by the conveyor belts is freely suspended and passes between the buttresses or sheet controlling members 10, 11 which lightly contact with the outer leaves of the signatures, the members 11 on one side of the signature being set in the present embodiment at a somewhat lower level than the members 10 to the other side of said signature. It will be seen that by reason of the positions of the members 10 and 11 both vertically and longitudinally, relative to the suction units and deflecting plates, the members 10 act as sheet bending members when the leaves of the signa ture are deflected while the members 11 tend slightly to urge the freely suspended portion of the signature towards the opposite suction unit.

Almost at the commencement of the travel of the signature S the foremost lower edge thereof draws level with the suction unit 4 so that the outermost leaf S1 adjacent the suction nozzles 41) is drawn towards the latter and thus parted from the remainder of the signature (Fig. 5). Since the suction applied by thenozzles 4b is not sufficient to retain the signature leaf, the latter continues to move forward under the influence of the conveyor belts 2, 3 so that the lower portion of the leaf S1 is deflected outwardly stage by stage along its entire width while the leading corner and associated portion of the lower edge of the deflected sheet moves slightly further outward in following the outwardly inclined suction unit 4 to the extremity of the latter. Thus it will be appreciated that in the continuous movement of the signature S the lower edge of the leaf Sl will gradually be released from theinfluence of the suction unit 4 but obviously it will be held outwardly deflected until the foremost lower corner thereof has.passed between the rearmost extre'mity of the member 4 sad leading extremity of the deflecting plate 11 and thus behind the rear edge of the latter. The corresponding buttress loengaging the signature at a slightly- ,higher .level as shown ,in Fig. 5 forms, a" sheet bending member which, aided by the inherent tendency of bent paper to spring away from thrust or applied pressure, ensures that the leaf or leaves of the signature adjacent the outwardly deflected leaf S1 are cleanly separated from the latter. Thus in the continued travel of the signature the outer leaf S1, guided by the curved plate 11, passes behind the second suction unit 5 while the remainder of the signature passes along as before with the now outermost leaf S2 exposed directly to the suction exerted by the unit 5. As shown in Fig. 6, the operation above described in reference to the signature leaf S1 is repeated in respect of the leaf S2 so that the latter deflected by the deflecting plate 14, passes, together with the first deflected leaf S1, behind the third suction unit 6. The adjacent leaf or page S3 of the signature is now exposed to the suction effect of the suction unit 6 and in a repetition of the above described operation the leaf S3 is deflected to pass, together with the leaf S1 and S2, behind the fourth suction unit 7 to which is now left exposed the fourth and last leaf S4 (see Fig. '7).

The leaf S4, when deflected (Fig. 8), passes together with the previously deflected signature leaves S1, S2 and S3 directly to one side of the pent-shaped member 16 whereupon the opening of the signature is completed or consolidated in the continued travel of the conveyor belts 2, 3. The opened signature before being released from the conveyor belts passed between the first of the co-operating sheet feeding rollers 21, 22 and thus becomes positively registered upon the carrier saddle 20 against the stop 23.

It will be obvious from the above description that the number of operative suction units and deflecting plates must be equal to one half the total number of leaves constituting the signature to be opened, and in a machine built adequately to carry the invention into effect on a commercial scale the number of suction units provided would be in accordance with the known maximum requirements. Each unit would be arranged to lie inoperative when so desired by manual manipulation of the controlling cocks 26.

In the practical application of this invention it would at times be found that the stack of signatures S is not constituted by strictly iden tical signatures, i. e., some of thesignatures fed to the opening means would be provided with a flyleaf or separate insert sheet thus intermit tently adding to the number of pages or leaves to be deflected. In these circumstances at least one of the suction units incorporated in the opening means would be required to operate lution of the cam shaft 31.

For this purpose the collar 27 on the manifold 24 relating to the suction unit 4. is made free to permit limited rotation of the collar relative to the manifold. Thus, providing the manual valve 26 is previously opened, suction effect is established in the nozzles of the suction unit-4 when the collar 2'7 is rotated sufficiently to register the passage 29 in the wall of the manifold 24 and the bore 28 of the valve 26 and in a similar manner is interrupted when the passages are, moved apart. A three-arm lever 32 pivotally mounted on the frame of the device has one arm 32a thereof linked to one extremity of a pitman 33, the further extremity of the latter being linked to a lever 27a which is rigidly secured to the collar 2'7. (Each of the other collars 2'1 on the manifold 24 may also be provided with similar levers 27a if desired.) A helical tension spring 33a secured at one extremity to the lever arm 32a and at the other extremity to a member of the main frame tends constantly to urge the collar 27 into the suction connection or operative position and the movement thereof is controlled through the pitman 33 in the following manner:

The drive shaft 31, which is rotated in timed relation to the work feeding movement of the pivotal sheet carrier 20, carries a cam disc 30 the cam edge of which engages a rotary cam follower 30a carried by the arm 32b of the three-arm lever 32. The cam follower is urged into contact with the cam edge of the disc 30 by means of the tension spring 33a and thus the reciprocatory movement of the pitman 33 is balanced between the thrust of the rotating cam 30 and the tractive force of the spring 330.. The cam disc 30 is timed to perform one complete revolution for each stitching operation performed by the associated book stitching-machine indicated at C and thus releases the pitman 33 to forward movement in the direction of the arrow 60 (Fig. 2) and under the influence of the spring 33a for each signature fed to the conveyor belts 2, 3. By reason of the counting arrangement shown in Fig. 2 however this forward movement of the pitman is permitted only once for each signature stitched. The control arrangement comprises a notched disc 35 having a single notch 40 in its perimeter and rotatably mounted so that its perimeter engages a lug or finger 34 carried by a third arm 320 of the lever 32 and thus prevents the forward movement of the pitman 33 except when the lug 34 drops into the notch 40. The disc 35 is keyed upon a stub shaft 35a which also has keyed thereto a toothed ratchet wheel 36.

A rockable arm 39 freely mounted at one extremity on the shaft 35a carries a pawl member 36a. adapted to engage and rotate the ratchet wheel 36, the arm 39 being connected by a link 38 to a slotted crank member 37 keyed to the shaft 31. By this arrangement the ratchet wheel 36 and notched disc 35- are stepped round to the extent of one ratchet tooth for each revo- The ratchet wheel, which is adapted to be readily removable, bears teeth equivalent in number to the signatures 'or book sections which constitute each assembled book of the work to be handled. Thus for each complete book stitched or otherwise handled at C the disc 35 is given one complete revolution to register the notch 40 with the lug 34 thus to permit the suction unit 4 to function as above described. 4

Providing that the first signature of each book leaving a fiyleaf is fed to the conveyor belts 2, 3 when the notch 40 of the disc 35 is registering-with the lug 34 of the lever arm 320 the suction unit 4 will function to lift and deflect outwardly the flyleaf attached to the signature. In the' subsequent rotation of the cam 30 the pitman 33 will be withdrawn to render inoperative the suction unit 4 so that the remaining signatures of the book progress to the second suction unit 5 before the outer leaf proper is engaged. The remaining signatures of the book will then be fed to the conveyor belts 2, 3 and counting mechanism will by this time have stepped the notched disc round to register the lug 34 with the notch 40 and thus when the first signature of the following book is fed the suction unit 4 is again operative to engage the fiyleaf of the last fed signature.

To render the counting mechanism applicable for the control of the suction units in the handling of books containing a different number of signatures it is necessary merelyto remove the ratchet wheel 36 and substitute therefor adifferent ratchet wheel bearing teeth equivalent 1 in number to the signatures of the different books to be handled. Moreover if an insert sheet is contained in selected signatures of the pile S it would be necessary intermittently to operate a suction unit other than the member 4 and this of course could readily be done by linkingthe pitman 33 to the lever of the suction unit which it is desired to control.

It will be clear from the above description that the number of suction units incorporated in sheet opening and feeding apparatus of this type is unlimited as is also the number of such units subject to control, while if desired, the books could be parted from the centre to both sides thereof by associating similar suction units and deflecting members also with the but-:

Also the signatures may be passed along the feed path with the back folded edge downwards and if desired resting upon the supporting platform.

Moreover, although the method and mechanism above described is for the purpose of opening parallel folded or inset signatures obviously the method may be applied to the opening of any type of folded sheet or book section such readily be effected without departing from the in the apscope of the invention as defined pended claims.

We claim:

1. A method of automatically opening a closed signature or the like, according to which leaves of the signature are successively engaged and .of the series of sheet-engaging members likewise to initiate the deflection ofthe leaf initially covered by the first mentioned leaf.

3. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising a plurality of sheet-deflecting members arranged in sequence and laterally of the closed signature, the number of operative members in the sequence being at least equal to the number of leaves to be deflected from the plane in which the fold of the signature lies, and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-deflecting members.

4. Means for opening a closed signature or the like. comprising a plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to one side of a folded signature to be opened, the number of operative members in the sequence being equal to the number of leaves which lie to the corresponding sideof the centre fold of the signature, and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-engaging members.

5. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising a, plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to one side of a closed signature, a plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to the other side of said signature, the number of operative members of each sequence being at least equal to the number of leaves which lie to the corresponding side of the centre fold of the signature and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-engaging members so that the.

leaves of said signature are successively engaged and deflected outwards from the fold line of said signature.

6. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising a plurality of sheet-engaging suction members arranged in sequence to one side of the signature to be opened, the number of operative members of the sequence being equal to the number of leaves to be deflected from the centre fold of the signature, means for applying suction to said sheet-engaging members, and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-engaging members so that the leaves of the signature commencing with the corresponding outer leaf are successively engaged and opened outwards.

'7. Means for opening a. closed signature or the like, comprising a plurality of sheet-engaging suction members arranged in sequence to one side of the signature, to be opened, a second series of sheet-engaging suction members arranged in sequence to the opposite side of said signature, means for applying suction to said sheet-engaging members, and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-engaging members so that the leaves of the signature commencing from the outer leaves are successively deflected outwards from the centre fold line of the signature.

8. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising a plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to one side of I 3 the signature to be opened, the number of operative members of the sequence being equal to the number of leaves lying to the corresponding side'of the fold line of the signature sheet defiecting members associated one with each sheet-engaging member, and means for progressing said sigfiature past said sequence of sheetengaging and deflecting means so that the leaves of said signature commencing from the outer leaf are deflected outwards and behind the operative faces of the sheet-engaging members of the sequence.

9. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising a plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to'one side of the signature to' be opened, a plurality of sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence to the opposite side of said signature, the .number of operative members in each sequence being ,at least equal to the number of leavescomprising the corresponding side of the signature, sheet deflecting members associated one with each sheet-engaging member and means for progressing said signature past said sequence of sheet-engaging and deflecting means'so that the leaves of said signature commencing from the outer leaf are deflected outwards and behind the operative faces of the sheet-engaging members of the respective sequences.

10. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising'means for conveying said signature in a substantially erect position, sheetengaging suction members positioned laterally of said signature, and to at least one side of it, and means for applying suction to said sheet-engaging members so that in the movement of the signature the leaves thereof commencing from the outermost leaf are progressively engaged by successive sheet-engaging membersof the sequence and deflected outwards from the centre fold .line of the signature.

11; Means for opening a closed signature or the-like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature in a substantially vertical position, sheet-engaging suction members arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter, sheet deflecting members associated one with each sheet-engaging member to guide the deflected leaves away from the operative faces of said sheet-engaging members, and sheet-bending members adapted to regulate the separation of the deflected sheets. M

12. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging suction units comprising banks of suction nozzles arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter and sheetdeflecting members associated one with each sheet-engaging member and each comprising a curved guide plate extending from the plane in which lies the operative face of its associated sheet-engaging unit and terminating at the rear of the adjacent sheet-engaging device.

13. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging suction units comprising banks of suction nozzles arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter during its movement and means for rendering selected 1 4-. Means for opening a closed signature. or

v is

the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging suction units arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter during its movement, and automatic controlling means adapted to render selected banks of suction nozzles operative or inoperative as desired and in accordance to the number of leaves comprising the signature to be opened.

15. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging suction units arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter during its movement, automatic controlling means to render selected suction units operative or inoperative as desired, and timing means operated in accordance to the feed of the signatures selectively to regulate the functioning of said controlling means. 4

16. Means for opening a closed signature or the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging members arranged in sequence laterally of said signature successively to engage the leaves of the latter during its movement, means for guiding away from the operative faces of said sheet-engaging members the leaves engaged by said sheet-en gaging members, and a wedge-shaped member adapted to pass between the deflected leaves of the signature to consolidate the opening of the latter.

1?. In combination, a sheet-handling machine provided with a pivotal sheet-carrier, and means for opening and feeding a folded signature or the like to said pivotal sheet-carrier, said means comprising a stack support for the closed signatures, conveying belts having juxtaposed stretches extending from said stack support towards said sheet-carrier, a plurality of sheetengaging members positioned in sequence to engage the leaves of a closed signature suspended from said conveyor belts, means for deflecting the leaves thus engaged behind the following sheet-engaging members of the sequence, and means for positioning the signature thus opened straddlewise upon said sheet-carrier.

18. In combination, a sheet-handling machine, provided with a pivotal sheet-carrier, and means for opening and feeding a folded signature or the like to said pivotal sheet-carrier, said means comprising a stack support for the closed signatures, conveying belts having juxtaposed stretches extending from said stack support towards said pivotal sheet-carrier, a wedgeshaped sheet-guiding member interposed between said pivotal sheet-carrier and one extremity of said conveyor belts, a plurality of sheet engaging suction members positioned in sequence to engage the leaves of a closed signature suspended from said conveyor belts, deflecting plates associated with said sheet-engaging members so that the leaves engaged by said sheet-emgaging members are guided away from the operative faces of the following sheet-engaging members, and means for selectively controlling the operation of said sheet-engaging members.

19. Means for opening a folded signature or the like, comprising means for conveying the closed signature, sheet-engaging units arranged in sequence and laterally of the closed moving signature, so as progressively to engage the leaves of the signature, deflecting plates associated with said sheet-engaging units to guide the leaves engaged by said sheet-engaging members away from the operative faces of the following sheet-engaging members, sheet-bending or controlling abutments associated with said sheet-engaging and deflecting means, and further abutments or controlling members arranged to engage the signature on its opposite lateral side to retain said signature during its movement in a predetermined path.

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